The View from a Drawbridge

The random musings of an autistic bridgetender with entirely too much time on her hands.

Making Waterfalls

There’s a certain graceful beauty in a moving drawbridge. It’s awe-inspiring to watch a million pounds of concrete and steel in motion. It says a lot about human ingenuity. I’m lucky because as a bridgetender I get to make this happen every day. Opening a drawbridge never gets old. A friend of mine likes to…

There’s a certain graceful beauty in a moving drawbridge. It’s awe-inspiring to watch a million pounds of concrete and steel in motion. It says a lot about human ingenuity.

I’m lucky because as a bridgetender I get to make this happen every day. Opening a drawbridge never gets old. A friend of mine likes to say I do so with the power of my index finger. That makes me feel like Superwoman.

I love to watch the wandering shadows that my opening bridge casts when it’s sunny out. I love to feel it sway when a truck crosses over or when the wind gusts. I enjoy watching people stop to take pictures as the bridge rises. I wonder how many thousands of pictures I’ve created for people throughout the years?

But most of all, I love raising my bridge in the rain. When I do that, all the water that has accumulated on the sidewalks comes cascading down. It’s beautiful. It’s clean. (Well, it probably isn’t, but it feels that way.)

How many people get paid to make waterfalls? How lucky am I?

brooklyn-bridge-with-waterfall-2008
Brooklyn Bridge with waterfall. From an art installation in 2008.

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13 responses to “Making Waterfalls”

  1. investigatorcarol Avatar
    investigatorcarol

    Hi Barb,
    I loved your book! Something about it just made me feel better about the world, you know? Like reading James Harriet. I read it while traveling and when I finished it I wrote a little note in it and left it in a little free library in Memphis. Just wanted to let you know. Now someone else can feel a little better about the world too 🙂
    -Carol

    Reply
    1. The View from a Drawbridge Avatar
      The View from a Drawbridge

      I’m so glad you liked it. It makes me happy to know that it’s in that library, and someone might randomly come across it when then need it most. Thank you for that gift. I also hope that everyone who reads it will take the time to go to the Amazon.com page and leave a review. That will help me a lot.

      Reply
  2. pouringmyartout Avatar
    pouringmyartout

    You have to love bridges.

    Reply
    1. The View from a Drawbridge Avatar
      The View from a Drawbridge

      Well, you don’t HAVE to. But I do.

      Reply
      1. pouringmyartout Avatar
        pouringmyartout

        yes… you do have to… unless you like swimming.. HA!

      2. The View from a Drawbridge Avatar
        The View from a Drawbridge

        Or perhaps you should stop being so hellbent on getting to the other side.

      3. pouringmyartout Avatar
        pouringmyartout

        I am all about the other side

      4. The View from a Drawbridge Avatar
        The View from a Drawbridge

        Which is fine, as long as you also appreciate where you currently are. Otherwise you’ll never be satisfied.

      5. pouringmyartout Avatar
        pouringmyartout

        well I never am

      6. The View from a Drawbridge Avatar
        The View from a Drawbridge

        That makes me very sad, my friend.

      7. pouringmyartout Avatar
        pouringmyartout

        tell me about it

  3. Angiportus Avatar
    Angiportus

    The quantity of water released at the moment you describe is indeed astounding. Bridges rule.

    Reply
    1. The View from a Drawbridge Avatar
      The View from a Drawbridge

      Yeah they do!

      Reply

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